More to Being a Knight
by Littlegraycells28
Summary: When Sonic is ripped from his own reality into another, he is forced to take up a new weapon in order to liberate this new world from the tyranny of its corrupted king. Part AU, part novelization of SatBK with specific attention to detail. SonicxPercival
1. Prologue of an Adventure

Day had broken over the flat, grassy landscape. This was not to say that it was bright or sunny, as the time had yet to pass the wee hours. The grayish-blue atmosphere and the dampness that almost made the ground marsh-like were testaments of the earliness of the morn. Thick, gray clouds that encompassed the whole sky were visible even though it was not yet light out. A raven, feathers glistening with dew, pecked hopelessly at the skeleton of a once-living goat. The raven shouldn't have bothered; the skeleton was picked clean long before the bird had arrived. The raven stopped its pecking, skittishly cocking its head as if noticing potential danger. The sound of someone approaching at a dead sprint proved it correct as the raven flew off.

The footsteps belonged to someone dressed in an exuberant purple cloak with elaborate magenta designs traced from top to bottom. The outfit seemed rather ornate to wear for such rough activity. Indeed, it was already splattered with mud and the bottom hem of the cloak was torn in multiple places, presumably from being stepped on in haste. The hood flew off from the wind of the running, revealing a teenage girl's terrified face. She was carrying a very long scepter, its height nearly equal to hers, with a bejeweled orb on the top end. The weight of the scepter appeared to be hindering her running, but it was desperately held onto as if it were the only thing separating her from certain death. Considering the approaching pounding of hooves that sounded like an entire cavalry, it probably was.

Astoundingly, it was only one horse, a very large black stallion. It was extensively covered in armor; horseflesh could only be seen at the knees when the horse raised its legs to move. But if the horse was heavily armored, that was nothing to say of its rider. The rider was covered with gold and silver-colored armor in such a way that he looked as if he were made of metal. Dark purple tassels streamed behind him like a cape. The only part of his body that was visible was his eyes, but it might have been better if they were not. His eyes glowed an unearthly yellow that radiated malevolence and they were currently trained on the retreating cloaked figure in the distance.

The rider kicked his heels into his steed, prompting a fast gallop. He pulled on the reins, causing the horse to miraculously rise into the air like a Pegasus and run as easily as if it were on solid ground. The rider drew his weapon, revealing a scaly red sword with a menacing edge and held it straight out to his side. The serrated blade cut through the very air, creating a dark rift in the sky. The rift wasn't dark for very long, as bright yellow spots that could only be construed as cycloptic eyes peeked out like bats on a cave ceiling. The rift expanded, allowing yellow-eyed flying fish-like creatures and demonic knights in dull armor to fall out and begin surrounding the person in the cloak. She gasped in fear and stopped running, eyes wide and cheeks flushed with exertion. With the demons close to encircling her and with the rider on the black stallion approaching, she realized that running was no longer an option. She thrust her scepter into the ground, creating a bluish shield around herself that pushed the demons away as it expanded.

_A shield will not last long and I cannot hope to fight all of them!_ she thought with a panic. _I-I need help! …Yes! A Summoning Spell!_

With monsters pounding at the dome-like shield protecting her, she raised her scepter again, this time reciting an incantation:

"_Ifaras zaras yezaras…Ifaris zaris yezarik…O brave knight, swift as the wind, heed my call!" _

A column of white light shot from the scepter and into the gray sky, parting the clouds and parting the dimensions.

* * *

_*__**Gurgle**__*_

This was the sound that Sonic the Hedgehog's stomach was making in response to the order of four chilidogs that he currently held in his hands. It was lunchtime in Empire City, and the outdoor fast food restaurant Sonic was at extended from the middle floor of a high-rise mall.

_Not a very awesome view from up here_, he thought with a slight twinge of disappointment.

Which was understandable. After all, who likes a view where the field of vision in every direction is obscured by gray skyscrapers and advertisements so brightly colored that they offend the eyes?

_Wish I could at least do some grinding during lunch_, he thought, giving the extensive rail system of Empire City a longing glance.

Normally, Sonic would have just taken the chilidogs and eaten them on the run, but Amy had cornered him a few days previous and asked (demanded) politely for a date. After much insistence (threatening) on Amy's part, Sonic was convinced to oblige to the outing because of her gracious (_very _reluctant) compromise to allow him to choose the restaurant.

_What a guy won't say under the business end of a hammer._

Naturally being fashionably early, he opted to just pace around and began munching.

But he wanted to do more than just pace. The day before, Sonic had single-handedly fought and defeated Eggman and his newest doomsday device, the "Egg Rover", a weird mix between a tank and a submarine. Eggman had hoped to drown Sonic by luring him into the water, but was defeated long before the shore was reached. Eggman had been sent to prison, but the pitifully short battle had left Sonic thirsty for action. Taking his not-really girlfriend/stalker/howtheheckdidyoufindme_here_ person on a date did not qualify as action. Action was (or ought to have been) Empire City. There was sure to be excitement in a place where you could leap from rail to building to billboard and back to rail in one move! But now that he was here, Sonic found the desire for more of an unobscured space.

Sonic finished his first chilidog and started on another, _Sure is hard to find an exciting wide open place without Eggman or Amy in the picture. _He polished off his second chilidog with a loud gulp, _Wonder where I can find somewhere like that._

And then the vortex opened under his feet.

* * *

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa AAAAAAAA**AAHHHHHHHHHH**-umph!" Sonic landed face first on hard grass.

"Owww…ack! My chilidogs!"

Sonic scrambled to his feet and with a diving catch not dissimilar to baseball player's, he caught both 'dogs, not a jalapeño out of place. With his food safely in his hands once again, he noticed that he was no longer in the concrete jungle of Empire City.

_Whoa, that was weird. What happened? Where am I? _Sonic's questioning was interrupted by the sorceress.

"Being from a distant world," he turned upon hearing her voice, "forgive my abrupt summons, but I am in desperate need of help!" she pleaded, gesturing to the demons as the protective shield dissipated.

Sonic took a 360-degree look of the immediate surroundings, swallowing a chilidog in one bite.

_Hmmm… evil flying fish, evil knights, a big, scary-looking dude who looks like an Eggman robot, and a magic girl who's afraid of them. No problem._

"I get it. Don't worry," he winked, "I do this kind of stuff all the time!"

Sonic threw his remaining chilidog into the air. With a brief flash of blue and an intense shockwave, the nightmarish monsters exploded into a flurry of purple dust. Skidding to a stop, Sonic caught the chilidog he had tossed previously. He snuck a glance to see if his trick impressed the sorceress. Judging by the look of awe on her face, it did. Ego soaring, Sonic turned his attention to the knight on the black horse. He began twirling his chilidog as one might a basketball and bent his knees, ready to sprint.

Contrary to the sorceress' awed expression, the rider looked particularly unimpressed. He drew his sword with nonchalance, deeming the blue hedgehog before him barely worth a second of his time. The black stallion pawed the ground in anticipation.

Seeing what was about to happen, the young girl cried out in alarm, "_**Stop**_! You mustn't!"

Sonic stumbled and nearly fell on his face again, "What? What's wro—oh man, that's gross!"

He was referring to the half-formed monsters that were assembling themselves from the mist of the ones previously defeated.

"We cannot fight! We must flee!"

"_Yaah!"_

The rider spurred his steed into a charge and held his sword tip-first like a javelin.

"Quickly!" she screamed.

After a split-second's hesitation in which the sword nearly made contact with the tip of his quills, Sonic scooped up the young sorceress and sped off in the opposite direction in his classic blue blur.

The knight looked genuinely surprised at seeing the speed at which the hedgehog and his target escaped. Sheathing his sword, he slowed his horse from a charge to a slow gallop. Time was needed to ponder over this new development.

_They will not elude me for long, that is certain. However, if that blue rat continues to protect my former servant, his abilities may prove to be a hindrance._

He changed his course to a nearby hill; his vassals needed to be alerted of their new assignment.

* * *

The three Knights of the Round Table witnessed the scene that had played out with remarkable indifference. Weapons never unsheathed, no conversation, almost no movement at all. They were there to observe, not to act; that was what they were told. To be able to retell the gruesome tale of how the King had brutally yet justly apprehended the rebellious former Royal Wizard in the name of keeping order. It was quite a shock to them when instead of fighting, the sorceress summoned outside help. It was an even greater shock that the warrior that she had summoned defended her almost instantly and was able to escape the King. There was certainly a tale to tell, but not one that the King would favor.

Speaking of whom, he was currently approaching them, expression concealed behind his crown-like faceplate. The knights knelt down on one knee in show of respect.

"I shall give chase," he addressed, "Spread out and pursue. Slay them on sight."

They nodded. His orders given, the rider steered his horse in the direction his targets escaped. When he was out of hearing range, the Knights rose.

"Quite a spectacle, wasn't it?" a black hedgehog with red highlights in his quills commented.

"Yeah, it was. Now let's go," a red echidna gruffly replied.

A female lilac cat protested, "Should we? She is the Royal Wizard, I mean."

"The King's orders are absolute Percival," the hedgehog replied with a hint of bitterness at how true this statement was.

"Yes, but—" Percival started, but realized to whom she was speaking to. With a sigh, she changed her mind, "…I suppose you are right."

The red echidna nodded and spoke with an edge in his voice, "Of course he is right! Without loyalty to the King, we are nothing!"

He stormed off in the direction of a thick forest, eager to complete the task assigned to him by his lord.

"Oh, Gawain…" Percival mumbled, annoyed at his thoughtless manner.

The black hedgehog began to walk off, but paused. He turned to her and said, "Of course, the King has changed. He is destroying his own kingdom."

Percival was mildly surprised by her companion. Surely Lancelot, the Strongest Knight and King Arthur's own right hand would never imply…

_Then again,_ she thought humorlessly, _he may have been merely stating fact. This _is_ Lancelot after all. Still, he is not one to make such comments lightly…_

"Yes he is," she replied cautiously, uncertain of his intentions, "I imagine that something would have to be done. Wouldn't you agree?"

Lancelot turned his back to her again, leaving her sentence hanging. Just before he left however, Percival caught the slightest shadow of a nod discretely directed at her. With a skating motion, he took off on his magical air shoes in the direction of a waving green plain.

Percival herself decided to stay on the hill for a few minutes longer, just long enough to greet the dawn. With the clouds from earlier parting, it promised to be a good show. As the horizon lit up with various violets, reds, and blues, she decided that her destination would be the mines. Perhaps she would talk to some of the villagers when she arrived. As a frequent visitor to the molten part of the mining fields, she had some good acquaintances in the area.

The raven swooped past Percival, flying straight into the rising sun.


	2. Dragons in the Mist

"Why'd we have to run away? I could've taken him, no problem!" Sonic grumbled.

He and his cloaked companion were strolling through a thin, misty wood. After fleeing from the King, she instructed him to this area. It was far away and secluded enough to be safe, for the moment at least. Though it was late morning and the sun was shining down hard, the mist kept Sonic in a state of chilliness. This combined with the annoyance at running away from an enemy put him in an irritable mood.

The sorceress looked forlorn, "You do not understand. He cannot be wounded, let alone defeated. He is immortal."

That caused Sonic to pause.

"What? How's that even possible?"

She took a deep breathe and sighed. "He bears the scabbard of Excalibur. It—"

"Wait, wait," Sonic interrupted, "Excalibur…I've heard that somewhere before. Hmmm…"

The girl refreshed his memory, "Excalibur is King Arthur's sword."

Sonic snapped his fingers, "Right! King Arthur! But that means I'm…in the Middle Ages or something…"

_Man, I came a far way. I didn't just travel across the world, I traveled through time! This one might be tougher than I thought. There weren't any chilidog stands in the Middle Ages I don't think…_

The wizarding girl's apologetic voice brought back Sonic's attention, "I am very sorry for taking you from your home. It was just that…" she lowered her head, "I really need help, and I believe you could stop King Arthur's reign of horrific tyranny. He is plunging his kingdom in to a realm of despair and strife! I know I cannot ask for more than you have already done, but if you would consider…"

"Stop."

She looked at him, stunned at the firmness at which he commanded.

"S-Sorry, I—" he held up his hand.

"Of course I'm gonna help," he said looking her in the eye with a dead serious look on his face, "he was threatening you, and from what it looks and sounds like he isn't much nicer to anyone else. What do I have to do to beat him?"

The sorceress blinked in surprise, awed once again by the bravery and righteousness of a warrior she had stolen from his rightful home.

"Th-thank you," she sputtered.

Sonic gave an easy smile, not surprised by her reaction, "I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog, nice to meetcha!"

She blinked. Remembering her manners, she stood up straighter and introduced herself, "My name is Merlina. I am the Royal Wizard of this kingdom. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Sonic nodded, "So, what do I have to do?" he asked again.

"First, you must learn how to use a sword," she replied.

"What? No way!" Sonic objected.

"Oh, but you simply must!" Merlina insisted.

Sonic frowned and made a grumbling sound.

He _hated_ using weapons. They were heavy, hampering, slow, destructive, and unreliable, all undesirable qualities. He'd even once pledged to Shadow that he would never use a weapon, though to be fair, he had just said that to annoy Faker at the time. He liked to keep things simple, beating an adversary with his own hands (and quills, if necessary). Most of his enemies used weapons and he always beat them, so wasn't his way better?

"Why?" Sonic sulkily asked.

"There is a reason I asked you to this particular wood, you see. The scabbard of Excalibur that King Arthur possesses grants immortality and invulnerability. You need a weapon to combat this. Beyond this wood is a lake, and somewhere around this lake is a sacred sword that will help you achieve that goal. I'm not sure if it would _kill_ King Arthur on its own, but with its power you could at least wound him."

Sonic sighed in resignation, "All right, fine. But I don't have a clue on how to use a sword, how am I going to use one to beat Arthur?"

Merlina smiled, "With practice, of course."

The Misty Lake lived up to its name threefold; there was so much mist in the air that the sunlight scattering off the water particles gave the entire scene a white, ethereal glow. Trees covered on all sides by moss and lichens grew on the shore and on sporadically placed patches of land. Torches, too wet to ever support a fire, framed a stone pathway leading down what appeared to be the main path. Old, dilapidated aqueducts that had spent hundreds of years without supplying water ran next to the broken white columns that were in such abundance here. A few amphitheaters were just discernable past the fog. A large island on the far side of the lake looked as if it once supported a small village of sorts, as many stone buildings and arches lay atop it and all of the stone pathways on the lake made snaked their way into it.

On one of these pathways, Sonic was impatiently tapping his foot and fingering Clarent, the training sword Merlina had given him to practice with. It was a shabby thing; its blade and hilt were very simply made, there were no designs etched anywhere on the sword, and its edges were somewhat blunt and coated in a layer of rust.

Sonic hefted the sword from hand to hand and gave it a few swings, trying to familiarize himself with holding a weapon in his hands. As he began experimenting with how to hold the grip, he made sure to listen carefully for the command to start.

—**Flashback**

"The sword we are seeking should be at the other side of Misty Lake. However—" Merlina and Sonic halted as they approached the shoreline, "—I believe it would be prudent for you to have as much experience using a sword as possible for when you face King Arthur. For that, I have an idea of a training exercise on the way to the other side of the lake."

Sonic nodded, "'Kay, what do ya have in mind?"

Merlina explained, "I will conjure targets for you to destroy along the path that leads to the other side of the lake. Since you have never wielded a sword before, it is crucial that you get a feel for using and wearing one. As for your waster—"

"My _what_?" Sonic asked with a look of incomprehension.

"Your practice sword," Merlina patiently explained, "I will conjure one for you."

She walked over to a nearby column that was in particularly good condition.

"_Drawsffurfio chledd!"_

With a wave and a thrust of her scepter, the column looked as if it were melting on the surface and shrinking in size. As it shrunk, its contours sharpened into a different, more coherent shape; namely, the shape of a sword. When it solidified a full minute later, the smooth stone pillar had transformed into the rusty Clarent.

Sonic gave a low whistle.

Merlina picked up the sword in two hands and presented it to him, "This is Clarent. I have charmed it so that it is possible to communicate through it; just speak into the sword and I will hear you. Unfortunately, it will not last long in its altered form until it turns back into a pillar. Hopefully you will have acquired the sacred sword by then."

Her fingers brushed the prominent rust on the blade and she gave an embarrassed, "I apologize for its shoddy craftsmanship; this is why magicians are seldom swordsmiths."

Sonic gave a thumbs-up, "That's okay. It's better than what I could've done anyway."

He took Clarent from her and briefly debated whether to hold it with one hand or two. He decided with one.

"Okay, now what?" he asked.

"Now," Merlina continued, "I will set up the targets along the pathway. In the meantime, try to familiarize yourself with Clarent. I will contact you with it when everything is ready."

—**End Flashback**

_Twirl, twirl _***catch***

_Twirl, twirl _***catch***

_Twirl, twirl _"Sonic!" ***clang***

Sonic hastily picked Clarent back up after failing to catch it.

"Sonic, can you hear me?" Merlina's disembodied voice emanated from the sword.

"Readja loud and clear Merlina!"

"The targets are ready, go!"

As Sonic sped off on the path, he realized the first challenge about wielding a sword. Clarent was heavy in his hand, and he could not swing his arms to keep balance as he would like. To compensate, he (to his greatest annoyance) had to run more slowly to avoid hurting himself accidentally.

"You must learn swordsmanship starting from the basics," Merlina spoke again, "there is a straightway up ahead and your first targets are there. Start off with some horizontal swings, then vertical."

Sonic nodded, forgetting that Merlina was not there to see it. He was on the straightway and he saw the targets.

_Here goes!_

His first slash was clumsy and didn't hit the target fully on the edge, but it shattered out of the sheer speed Sonic was running. The next few were cut with more efficient swings or missed entirely as Sonic learned that timing versus his speed needed to be accounted for. However, while paying attention to timing and his running speed, he neglected to swing horizontally and instead the targets fell to diagonal strikes.

"You have some more work to do, I gather," Merlina noted.

"Yeah, no kidding."

With the first set of targets down, Sonic felt even worse about using a sword. How he wished he could just Homing-Attack those wooden circles and be done with it!

The next set.

_Swing early, swing early…_

Sonic was doing his best to just get the timing down and _hit_ each target; he repeatedly swung and met empty air with the target already behind him.

_Stupid thing's too heavy!_

Sonic was running up to one of the larger amphitheaters and noticed with unexpected glee that it had levels of stone rails running along the outer walls.

_Well, I do have to learn how to grind with a sword too…_

He deviated from the main path and jumped onto the lowest rail. He alternated grinding and wall-jumping to the rails above him until he reached the top level. When he reached the other side of the building, he leaped spread-eagle style back towards the path, straightening up at the last second. Clarent had not hampered him nor put him off-balance much at all.

_Okay, so grinding's definitely a thumbs-up with a sword!_

He ran cautiously around the snaking bridges over the lake, not wanting the extra inertia from Clarent to carry him into the water. Still, the lake's frogs leapt from the air pressure generated as Sonic shot by.

The largest island, previously a silhouette in the fog, was now ground underneath his feet. The other end of Misty Lake was close.

More targets, these ones perched atop tall poles. Thinking quickly, Sonic decided to use a leaping midair thrust, shattering the targets on their bulls-eyes.

Feeling confident at the success of his improvised move, Sonic spoke into Clarent again, "Hey Merlina, don't you have anything tougher than this? I'm falling asleep here."

She chuckled, amused by his cocky tone, "Very well, how about something a bit more challenging? _Ddraig caddug!"_

Her spell caused the mist surrounding the island to swirl together, the focus point being a spot directly in Sonic's path. He skidded to a halt.

The converging mist was sizzling, yet still cool. Gradually but steadily, it began to shape itself into a corporal form. Soon claws, sickly green scales, four legs, and a crystalline horn were discernable.

"Behold!" Merlina's disembodied voice proclaimed, "The Mist Dragon!"

The Mist Dragon roared, fog streaming from its chops.

Sonic bent his knees and tightened the grip on his sword.

Smirking, he yelled, "Bring it on!"

Obliging, the dragon reared its head back. Sonic, seeing what was coming next, backflipped from where the dragon's jaw slammed the ground.

_Well, it's definitely tougher…_ Sonic thought.

Going for the direct approach, he held his sword in two hands and slashed at the dragon's right front leg. It roared in apparent pain or fury, but Clarent wasn't sharp enough to leave any impression on the dragon's scales.

The dragon raised its paws, aiming to crush Sonic's body. Unfortunately for it, Sonic had a lot of experience dodging a certain evil doctor's guided missiles, which were much faster than the dragon's descending claws.

Sonic weaved his way around the dragon, dodging its clumsy attempts at squashing him. He was repeatedly slashing its legs, underbelly, and even its jaw, but no matter how much the dragon roared in pain, it did not seem to do any damage.

_If the sacred sword isn't better than this piece of junk, this world's in serious trouble._

Sonic decided to try hitting the top of the dragon in hopes of doing some real damage. Quick-stepping from the dragon's slamming jaw again, he leapt on top of its head while it was still on the ground. It roared, bucking and clawing at its face, trying to dislodge Sonic. Seeing its reaction beforehand, Sonic wrapped his arms around its horn. Its glass-like, fragile horn…

_Super über duh!_

One hand gripping the horn of the still bucking dragon, Sonic swung his sword as best he could from the awkward position at the base of the horn. This time the dragon roared in definite agony as it slammed its head against a rock wall, finally throwing Sonic off. But the crystalline horn now had a noticeable crack.

Unfortunately for Sonic however, the dragon didn't attack with its head anymore, presumably because it did not want to jar the tender wounded horn. Sonic, now knowing the dragon's weak point, was desperately looking for an opportunity to get atop the its head again.

_Maybe if I threw the sword…no, it might eat it. I can't jump that high… c'mon, I need somethi—is my sword melting?_

Indeed, Clarent was coolly boiling on the surface just as when it was first transformed in Sonic's hand. The spell keeping it a sword was fading quickly.

Dodging another blow from the dragon, Sonic was struck by inspiration. He jumped and threw Clarent above the dragon's head, backflipping from the following paw-swipe.

Clarent expanded and solidified in midair, a heavy stone column once more. It stayed in the air for a brief second…

***CRUNCH***

The dragon was crushed underneath the pillar, horn smashed and spine broken. It sizzled heatlessly and then exploded into a cloud of mist, soaking Sonic deep into his fur.

"Sonic!"

Merlina was waving a short distance away. He ran up to her, breathing heavily.

"Ha…ha…Hey Merlina, how was that, huh?" he said with a smirk.

Her eyes were wide with amazement, "That was incredible! Biding your time and waiting for the charm on Clarent to wear off was brilliant!"

Sonic scratched behind his head and decided to go along with her, "Uh, yeah it was, but this kind of stuff happens to me all the time, so no biggie."

She smiled, "You are a true knight."

"Thanks! Hey, think a 'true knight' can walk the rest of the way? I'm kinda winded from that dragon."

She nodded empathetically "Of course, Sonic."

**Fun Author's Note: **Yeesh, putting action in story form is a lot harder than it looks. Oh well, its fun anyway!

Fun facts: "_Drawsffurfio chledd_" and "_ddraig caddug_" translate to "transform sword" and "mist dragon" in Welsh.


	3. Knave and Knife

It was a silent walk along the shore of Misty Lake, sidestepping the many puddles along the path. The afternoon sun had burned away some of the trademark fog, but it wasn't enough to dry of the unfortunate hedgehog that was nearly dripping wet from his battle with the Mist Dragon. Sonic wasn't bothered too much by this though. He may have been soaked, but at least he was never dunked in the lake. He shuddered at the thought.

Deciding it was too quiet, Sonic asked something that had been bothering him, "So, how exactly did King Arthur become like that? I mean, in the stories I've heard he seemed way different."

Merlina gave a deep, painful sigh, "I'm sure those stories you've heard would have portrayed him correctly until recently. He was once a wise and just ruler, you know. He was kind toward his subjects, never harsh with law-breakers, and always did everything in his power to improve the lives of others. He inspired nobility and loyalty in his knights and was praised by all! But then—"

"He got a little sidetracked?" Sonic added, his eyebrow raised.

"In a way," Merlina considered. "You see, Nimue, the lady of the lake, deemed Arthur such a worthy king that she bestowed him with the scabbard of Excalibur, thinking he would use it to give fresh prosperity to the land."

"That's the thing that makes him invincible, right?"

"Invulnerable and immortal," she corrected. "Unfortunately, since the scabbard was held only by Nimue before, no one knew the effects it would have on a mortal. The power of the scabbard was too great for King Arthur's mind and he was bewitched by it, possessed as some might say. Using the scabbard's power, he summoned legions from the Underworld to enforce his new, iron-fisted rule. Now the good people of the kingdom live in fear and danger, not knowing where the Underworld knights will strike next."

*_splish_*

Sonic's foot accidentally stepped into one of the deeper puddles. It shook Merlina from her morose thoughts, reminding her that she was supposed to be searching for something.

She found it.

"Sonic, there! Can you see it?" she pointed.

His eyes followed her hand and finally rested upon the outline of a sword. It was conspicuously stuck tip-first in a large rock that was a distance into the lake. Sonic whooped, jumping between surrounding rocks like a frog over lily pads, landing softly next to the sword.

"Are you ready?" Merlina asked with a tremble of fear.

Thinking it was a warning, Sonic gingerly touched a finger to the sword, thinking it to be booby-trapped. When nothing happened, he asked, "Ready for what?"

"Should you strike down King Arthur with that sword, you will be forever remembered as the worst of all knights, slayer of kings! You will be a hero of course, but history is often unkind to heroes…"

Sonic gave a shrug, "Too many people call me a hero anyway. Maybe this will help with that."

He yanked sharply on the hilt of the sword. With a bright flash of light and a wave of energy, the sword came out in Sonic's hand.

"The sacred sword…" he gave it a critical look.

It was a gladius, heavily ornamented with designs unlike Clarent. It had a small pommel in respect to a large, circular guard. Its relatively lengthy blade was untainted by rust, but looked as if it needed a good polishing.

"…it's kinda sorry-looking."

"Fool!"

"WHOA!"

Sonic nearly dropped the sword out of surprise, for on the sword's guard was what appeared to be a face. A face that was currently contorted in horror and disbelief.

"_You _are the chosen one? You are nothing more than a squire!"

Sonic stared blankly, "Uh, Merlina?"

She answered obligingly, "The sword has a mind of its own. Only those it deems worthy may wield it."

"Yeah? Well it's got a smart mouth on it for a sword."

The sword huffed, "The impertinent one is you, knave! I am called Caliburn, and as unbelievable as it may sound, you are the one worthy enough to call me your weapon."

_Oh, yeah. Lucky me…_

"I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog," he grumbled.

"Very good," Caliburn replied, overlooking Sonic's tone, "Brace yourself Sonic the Hedgehog, for I shall train you until you are unquestionably the greatest of all knights!"

Merlina screamed. Turning his head, Sonic saw why. There, up in the sky closing in at a rapid pace was King Arthur riding his black stallion. He landed on the ground and drew his sword.

"Well, well," he said in a sneering drawl, "the speedy blue rodent and the treasonous Royal Wizard."

"And if it isn't the dishonorable King Arthur," Caliburn retorted.

Arthur turned his gaze towards Caliburn, "I see you have acquired yourself a sword. Pity that you had to settle for such a mediocre blade."

"I will show you mediocre! Sonic, face him!"

"Yes, face me! It will be the last thing you will ever do. And then…" King Arthur shifted his sight on Merlina.

Noticing her shrinking back in fear and holding her scepter defensively, Sonic immediately switched into 'Protective Older Brother' mode.

"Hey, your beef is with me pal! If you want her, you're gonna have to beat me first!"

The sight of Sonic baring his teeth seemed to amuse the king, "Hmm, very well 'oh so chivalrous' knight, let us see the power of your rather verbose sword against my own Deathcalibur!"

Pulling back on his horse's reins, Arthur rode in the opposite direction. Despite seeing the obvious baiting attempt that he was trying to pull, Sonic determined it to be the best way to keep Merlina out of harms way and followed.

King Arthur was riding ground level towards a stone pathway on the lake, Sonic tailing him all the way.

"Sonic!" Caliburn hissed in a loud whisper, "He is going stop abruptly to try to catch you off guard. Be ready to defend!"

Sonic nodded, "Sure thing!"

The stone bridge underneath them was narrow and did not diverge, leading both combatants on a single path where they would inevitably clash.

Arthur heeled his horse to a quick stop and raised his sword in his attempted sneak attack, but Sonic, being forewarned, blocked the heavy swing.

"Ugnn!" Sonic reeled.

More blows were incoming, and Sonic was having trouble defending against Arthur's massive blade.

Meanwhile Caliburn was trying to give instruction, "No you fool! Parry with the forte of the blade!"

Sonic was knocked backwards by a failed attempted at striking Arthur's shoulder, "What the heck's a forte?"

"The_ bottom half _of the blade, simpleton! I had really wished for some time to train you!" Caliburn angry lamented.

Sonic stood back up and lunged for King Arthur again, "Yeah? Well I hoped for a better sword!"

With Sonic slashing with frightening speed, he managed to strike the black stallion, throwing Arthur off balance and causing the horse to gallop again, resuming the chase. Arthur, instead of falling off, held a strong grip on the reins and saw an opportunity for a new method of attack. Thrusting the metal Deathcalibur into the stone bridge, red hot sparks followed in Arthurs wake and in the path of Sonic.

Acting out of pure survival instinct, Sonic quick-stepped to the right and proceeded to grind on the bridge's balustrade.

Surprised at his own quick thinking, Sonic taunted, "Hah! You're not gonna lose me!"

Arthur called back, "Pursue me at your own peril, weakling!"

Reaching the end of the bridge, Sonic and Arthur were now on the large island of the lake, near where Sonic previously fought the Mist Dragon.

Arthur stopped and without even bothering to try any trickery readied his sword for a dueling fight.

Caliburn spoke up, "Stand your ground here Sonic! Force your opponent into giving an opening!"

In a wide stance and bent knees, Sonic parried each one of Arthur's strikes with one of his own (using the forte, of course). Unfortunately, King Arthur's height advantage made counterattacking nearly impossible.

_Arrgh! I can't get a clean hit when he's so high up on his horse. There's gotta be something I can do…_

—**Flashback**

More targets, these ones perched atop tall poles. Thinking quickly, Sonic decided to use a leaping midair thrust, shattering the targets on their bulls-eyes.

—**End Flashback**

_Alright, that might work._

Sonic was tiring, but now he had something to go on the offensive with.

_As soon as his sword's outta the way…_

Using both hands, Sonic gave a particularly nasty strike at the side of Deathcalibur, throwing Arthur's protection in an awkward grip.

"Now Sonic!" Caliburn commanded.

"Yahh!" he leaped, pointing Caliburn tip-first. The sound of metal on flesh resonated throughout the lake.

Sonic landed on the other side of his opponent and turned around to see the damage done. Arthur had been struck on the neck, bleeding what Sonic would have thought to be blood except that the sticky liquid was a bright purple. The wound was slight however, and King Arthur was chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Sonic demanded.

A soft blue light descended upon Arthur, seemingly coming from somewhere on his person. His wound stopped leaking blood and closed up. Sonic looked at him in shock.

Arthur straightened up, and without warning he slashed at Sonic, striking him on the forehead with Deathcalibur's tip. Sonic fell, back first.

It was only a superficial cut, but it was an open wound and the sheer weight of the blow was making him lose consciousness.

In a dazed state, he heard King Arthur say, "You are a fool of a knight, unworthy of even being struck down by me! You are of no threat to my rule, and a pathetic excuse for a swordsman. May you die of your own incompetence!"

Sonic's vision was blurring as he saw Arthur ride off into the air again.

He passed out, blood dripping down his face.


	4. There is a Way

Night had descended upon Misty Lake, and the mood of the evening was tranquil. A slight breeze stirred the nighttime fog, and the water was nearly still. The large amphitheaters gave a feeling of protection. Were it not for the contented croaking of the lake frogs, Sonic may have slept for a few moments longer.

_Everything hurts._

His arms were sore from swinging a sword, his legs were sore from running with the weight of a sword, and his head hurt from being hit by a sword.

_Stupid swords. I haven't felt like this since that time I jumped off the Egg Carrier. That definitely wasn't the smartest thing to do back then…_

"Ah, Sonic! You have awakened at last."

_Speaking of stupid swords…_

Caliburn was currently in the hands of an approaching Merlina.

Sonic sat up with considerable difficulty, stretching his sore limbs. He felt a cloth wrapped against his forehead and guessed that was the spot where he was hit. Disliking the itching feeling it gave him, he ripped the cloth off.

"Are you feeling all right Sonic?" Merlina asked with concern.

Wiping the sleep out of his eyes, he nodded.

"You were struck sharply on the head, Sonic. I am extremely grateful that you are alive, but I am puzzled why King Arthur allowed you to be so. Mercy is not in his nature anymore…"

"Because he thinks I'm not a threat," Sonic spat. "He said that I couldn't stop him."

"And he's right too," Caliburn said callously.

Sonic turned to him angrily, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you are an unable knave! You lack the proper fighting skills to face him! That is the only reason he allowed you to live!"

"Well it's your fault!" Sonic yelled, "You're a sad excuse for a teacher!"

Merlina intervened, "Please stop! This quarrelling is not the way to help matters!"

Remembering the presence of a third, both immediately quieted down.

Caliburn, in a much cooler voice said, "At least give proper thanks to Merlina for dressing your wound."

Peeved at Caliburn, but knowing he should express some gratitude, Sonic sighed, "Thanks a lot for doing that Merlina."

She smiled, glad the heated atmosphere had lifted. "It was no trouble at all. I should be the one thanking you for saving my life a second time. I'm just sorry that—" she fiddled with the shaft of her scepter nervously, "—I couldn't heal the scar."

"Scar?" Sonic asked apprehensively.

He ran over to the side of the shore and looked into the water at his reflection. What he saw caused his pupils to dilate in bewilderment. A long, ugly cut traveled diagonally from his eyebrow to the other side of his forehead. It was bright red with freshness and lightly pulsed in tandem with his heartbeat.

_DANG IT! King Arthur's gonna pay for this. Trying to kill me is one thing, but messing with my handsome profile is just crossing the line!_

He fingered the offending mark. It was tender, but not painful. Merlina walked up beside him and handed over Caliburn.

"Let that mark be a small reminder of whom we are up against," Caliburn said sagely.

Sonic felt no need to respond.

"As long as he possesses that scabbard it may be impossible to defeat King Arthur," Merlina said with a note of despair.

"Then how can we get rid of it?" Sonic asked.

"We must ask the scabbard's former owner for that information." Caliburn answered thoughtfully.

Merlina's eyes lit up, "Of course! Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, I mentioned her earlier. She must know how to nullify its power. Her domain is a large pool in the Deep Woods. I advise for that to be our next destination."

Caliburn agreed, "Yes, let us make our way there, then. Onward my young knave!"

"Oh for the love of…stop calling me knave! I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!"

Caliburn replied without missing a beat, "Very well then, I shall call you Knave the Hedgehog."

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Whatever, you oversized letter opener."

* * *

The wood was thinning; sunlight shone more prevalently through the sparser barrier of leaves. It was warmer also, the cooling fog of Misty Lake long left behind. Bright red flowers popped up between the grass in some places, giving the scene a more lively appearance. The beauty was sadly lost on Sonic, who was distracted by the incomprehensible mutterings of Caliburn.

Annoyed, he asked, "What're you goin' on about now?"

Caliburn looked startled, "Oh, well, it is a bit embarrassing you see…my edge seems to have grown blunt. Being stuck in that rock for so long has taken its toll."

Sonic laughed, "Not the sharpest tool in the shed, huh?"

His quillions lowering like eyebrows, Caliburn replied, "That is because a gentleman should not have such an edge."

Sonic gave a mock-offended look, "Gentleman? Who're you calling 'gentleman'?"

Amused by Sonic's expression, Caliburn let the matter drop, "We will have to make a detour to Castle Town before we go into the Deep Woods. Seek a blacksmith among the locals; I must be presentable when we meet the Lady of the Lake."

Sonic rubbed his chin and then nodded, "Alright, that sounds like a plan, what do you think Merlina?"

He turned around to her and saw her picking one of the bright red flowers, "Merlina? Hello…?"

Her eyes were glazed over and she was whispering to herself so quietly that Sonic almost didn't hear, "Why? Why do flowers bloom when they know they are destined to wither?"

"Hey Merlina!" Sonic snapped his fingers.

She jumped, concealing the flower inside her robes, "Oh, I'm sorry Sonic. What did you say?"

Confused by her behavior, Sonic asked, "Everything alright? What were you talking about there?"

She looked down, avoiding his eyes, "I was thinking that, in a way, King Arthur is quite lucky for the scabbard of Excalibur to have come into his possession."

He looked at her incredulously, "_Lucky?_ That thing took over his head and made him a monster!"

"I mean," she meekly clarified, "The scabbard has made him immortal, he does not have to fear of death. All of us mortal beings, even this flower," she pulled it out, "we will all succumb to death eventually. It is so sad…"

Sonic understood. He had seen this fear and sadness in many others, including himself.

_She's scared of dying._

She sighed, "I just wish there were a way…" her sentence hung awkwardly.

_To not die?_

"Hey, c'mon," he said, trying to cheer her up, "We all gotta go someday, but we should do our best by making that day as far away as possible. That won't happen with King Arthur around. Now, what do you think about going to Castle Town first to sharpen up dull-blade here?"

Caliburn frowned.

Seemingly distracted by here previous train of thought, Merlina said, "That would probably be best, as a blunt sword is quite an inefficient weapon. I am sorry to say however, that I may not join you. I am still a wanted criminal and would be recognized in town. When you are finished, go to the Deep Woods from there. Do not worry about me, I shall remain in hiding."

Sonic gave a thumbs-up, "Okay, then I guess it's so long for now. Stay safe!"

And with that, he took off in the direction of open plains. Merlina pulled out the flower again, noticing with a breaking heart that it had already begun to droop. Her mind steeled with resolution.

_Yes, perhaps there is a way…

* * *

_

**Fun Author's Note: **Hrrmm, what's going on in Merlina's mind?

_Le Gasp!_ I have shamelessly used a very cliché plot device! For those who are too nice to pick it out, it's Sonic's scar! I mean, come on, that has to have been done a novemdecillion times right? However, I promise to make it as non-cliché as I can! ***salute***


	5. Sharp Blades and Sharp Tongues

"That's the place, right?" Sonic asked, pointing to a stone fortification across the plain.

The walls and turrets were made of blackish-gray stone, lackluster from age. Numerous columns of smoke were rising from the cooking fires beyond the walls. The sky was overcast again, but without the usual rain. Sonic was glad for the lack of precipitation, as he was currently running along a dirt track that could easily become a mud pit.

"Yes," Caliburn replied, "That is Camelot, the Castle Town and the ideal place to find a smithy."

Approaching the main gate, Caliburn furrowed his quillions worriedly, "Something here is amiss."

Sonic slid into a stop and glanced around, "What d'you mean? I don't see anything."

"Exactly! Do you not find it strange that there are absolutely no guards by the gate? Or that the drawbridge has been left open?"

Sonic scratched his chin, "Now that you mention it, it is kind of quiet." He cupped his hand around his ear, "Real quiet."

No guards, no clopping of footsteps, no hum of voices, not any sign of life at all.

"Better be careful," Caliburn warned, "You never know when an adversary may—"

A cloud of black fog billowed from the ground and molded into the shape of three suits of armor. They drew their cutlasses and advanced threateningly.

"—Pop up?" Sonic finished.

He recognized these guys; they were the type of monsters that attacked Merlina when he had first seen King Arthur. Their angular armor was a dark purple and their single eyes glared with the Underworld yellow glow.

They spoke in unison, their metallic voices echoing, "You there. Hedgehog, Priority One."

_You've __**GOT**__ to be kidding me!_

"The king has ordered your arrest. Do not resist or—"

They didn't finish, as they were sliced swiftly in half with a large, sweeping swing from Sonic. Their armor disappeared in a puff of purple mist.

"Well done Sonic, but I couldn't help but notice the malice behind your swing," Caliburn reflected, "You were lucky it worked this time, but you would do well not to fight in anger, it clouds judgment and dulls reflexes."

Grinding his teeth, Sonic answered, "As long as I NEVER hear that phrase from one of them EVER again I'll be okay."

"You certainly will not hear it again. Because you have resisted arrest, the others will simply strike you down with no warning."

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Great."

They continued down the thoroughfare, still blanketed by a silence. Doors were closed, windows were shut, and market stalls were deserted.

Hoping to break the tension, Sonic asked, "So, what were those things anyway?"

Caliburn answered, "They are called Soldier-Ones, standard foot soldiers of the Underworld army. They are suits of armor filled with the souls of the damned, enabling them sentience to an extent. Fortunately for you, they are terrible swordsmen."

Miffed at Caliburn's flippant remark, Sonic said, "Oh yeah? Well I could've barreled through those guys a hundred times faster without you!"

Caliburn gave a knowing smile, "Very well then. If you believe you would be able to defeat the Underworld army more easily without my assistance, then face the next round of enemies on your own. If you are able to destroy them, I will deem you a true and worthy knight."

Sonic smirked, "You're on."

Deciding that walking slowly in an abandoned alley didn't attract enough attention, Sonic ran to the central main square of Camelot. He thrust Caliburn into the ground and walking a short distance away. He pointed to himself and yelled out, "Hey soldier guys! Priority One Hedgehog, unarmed, right here!"

Immediately, Soldier-Ones sprouted in a circular formation, surrounding him.

_Were these guys hiding exactly like that or something?_

Regaining his composure, Sonic quickly Homing-Attacked the Soldier-Ones, destroying half of them before they even drew their weapons. The others, seeing their comrades fall, put their shields forward. Sonic rendered their efforts worthless by Spin-Dashing their feet, also avoiding their weapons in the process.

"Ha! What do ya think of that Calib—whoa!" Sonic dodged a sword swing.

"No way! I just beat you guys!"

Indeed, the puffs of smoke from the fallen foot soldiers were reforming back into the Soldier-Ones as if they were never touched.

_I think I see the problem._

Sonic backflipped from the resurrected Soldier-Ones and landed next to Caliburn.

"Is there something wrong Sonic?" the sword smugly asked.

Sonic yanked him out of the ground, "Shut up and cut."

Caliburn was correct about the lack of skill in the Soldier-Ones, as they were hardly able to swing their cutlasses without falling over themselves. However, what they lacked in skill they made up for in numbers. Apparently, Sonic attracted more attention than he would have preferred. He was able to slash them with relative ease because of their lumbering movements, but was quickly being mobbed.

"This is getting outta hand. Any ideas?" Sonic asked through clenched teeth, trying to block multiple blades at once.

"You're a hedgehog, aren't you? Use me to augment your natural defensive technique!"

Sonic considered this. Combine Homing-Attack with a sword? Would it be possible? Did it even make sense?

_No and no. Sounds good to me!_

Holding out Caliburn with both hands, Sonic spun at tens of thousands of rpm in a buzz saw motion. The Soldier-Ones were cut to ribbons in seconds.

***CRASH***

Unfortunately, Sonic didn't account for the extra inertia that holding a weapon would cause. Shaking wood chips out of his quills, Sonic got up from what used to be a market stand.

Caliburn was livid, "You bumbling fool! You have destroyed someone's place of business with your floundering about!"

Limping slightly, Sonic countered, "It was your idea! Which was kinda cool actually, but it's hard to stop on a dime when I'm holding something!"

"Would you like to try facing them alone again?" Caliburn replied darkly.

Sonic growled, "What was with that anyway? If you knew that was gonna happen, why didn't you tell me? I could've been shish kabobbed!"

"You should have been able to figure it out by yourself. They are summoned by the power of the scabbard of Excalibur. Only a sacred blade such as myself can cast down members of the Underworld army."

Sonic wanted to reply scathingly, but a realization robbed him of his steam. He said quietly, "That's why no one else can beat them isn't it? I'm the only one around here with a sacred sword."

"Actually, the Knights of the Round Table have divine blades as well," Caliburn corrected, "but I'm sure that even you know that they would be most unwilling to fight against their liege. That is why I am training you to become a knight. You are the only one capable of the task!"

_Much to my distress_, Caliburn thought.

Sonic smirked, seeing an opportunity for an ego boost, "So I'm capable now, huh?"

"If you were not, you would not have been able to decimate that squad of Soldier-Ones and that innocent citizen's business stall with such speed."

His curiosity outweighing his desire for argument, Sonic asked, "How'd you think of that anyway? The one where I Homing-Attacked those guys like a windmill?"

Caliburn sighed grudgingly, not wanting to give praise, "I saw your attempt to dispatch the Soldier-Ones without me (which was the epitome of foolishness, needless to say) and I was impressed by the power of your 'Homing-Attack' as you call it."

Sonic mock-gasped, "Wow, a compliment."

"Don't get used to it. At the rate you're going, you won't get too many of them."

"Yeah? Well I've already got a name for my awesome new attack."

Caliburn looked genuinely interested, "Really now? Good. A knight's signature move must be named so that others may identify it."

Sonic spread out his hands as if reciting a headline, "I call it: Windblade."

Sonic was traveling by rooftop to rooftop now, trying to avoid the abundant Soldier-Ones that appeared out of nowhere. Still looking a sign of a blacksmith, he was struck again by how deserted the main city of the kingdom seemed. Caliburn didn't know what was going on either. Every time he knocked on a door not only did no one answer, a squadron of Soldier-Ones materialized to attack him. He hadn't even heard a single—

"No, please! I'm sorry! I'll head back! I-I, HELP!"

Upon hearing that voice, Sonic froze. He recognized that voice. He had practically grown up hearing it. Charging in a bee line towards it, caution be darned, he saw Soldier-Ones dragging away a protesting yellow fox. However, this fox looked quite unusual, as he had two tails, both of which were scraping the ground with the demon knight's forceful treatment.

"TAILS!"

Protective Older Brother mode in full swing, he Windbladed the knights holding him, causing their captive to land on his hands and knees.

Sonic helped him up, "Hey buddy, you all right?"

The young fox looked up with sky blue eyes full with gratitude, "Thank you good sir knight! May I have your name so that I can address you properly?"

Sonic was momentarily taken aback.

"Tails, it's me. Those guys hit you on the head or something?"

"Ummm," the fox looked at him uneasily, "No, I was not struck on the head or anything, but I'm sorry for not hearing about you. Surely a knight of your skill has tales that I should have heard by now."

Now Sonic was _really_ confused. Innocent sky blue eyes, dual tails, mild demeanor, this was Tails, wasn't it?

_The only other time something like this happened was—Ali Baba, man I shoulda seen that earlier!_

Caliburn answered while Sonic hesitated, "His name is Knave the Hedgehog, young one."

The fox's eyes widened, "Wow! What a magnificent sword! I've never seen one that could talk before, and I've seen a lot of them. I am a blacksmith after all."

The word "blacksmith" caught Sonic's attention, "Really? Think you can sharpen this dull piece of rust?"

"Fool! It is you who is dull!" Caliburn said indignantly.

"Great comeback. Maybe your wit needs to be sharpened too."

Chuckling at their antics, the Tails lookalike gestured to a nearby door, "Come inside my workshop, I would be glad to help."

The smithy was kept in bright light thanks to well-placed windows. It was relatively small, but well organized and uncluttered. Several gleaming swords, spears, and gauntlets were hung on the walls for display. The forge was kept in the center of the room, its cylindrical chimney continuing out of the roof. An anvil and some metalworking tools were visible in a corner and several rectangular blocks were carefully arranged on shelves in another.

The blacksmith walked up to these blocks, "These are sharpening stones. They're used to hone down blades when they become too blunt. May I have your sword Sir, uh, Knave?"

"It's Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog. And I wish you could keep him."

He handed Caliburn to the blacksmith's experienced hands, "What is the sword's name Sir Sonic?"

The sword spoke for himself, "I am Caliburn."

"Caliburn?" he bit his lip in thought, "I think I've heard of that name somewhere before…"

Not wanting to make a scene by letting the blacksmith know he was holding a sacred sword, Sonic hastily said, "Could we kinda move along? We're kind of in a hurry."

"Oh, right. I'm on it!"

The blacksmith looked across his shelves of sharpening stones, determining the appropriate grade to use. Picking one out, he began to run Caliburn's blade across it, fixing the damage done by the time spent in Misty Lake.

The blacksmith addressed Sonic, "Thank you again for keeping me from being arrested. I'm very sorry for staying out past curfew, but I—"

"Whoa, hey," Sonic held up his hands, "I'm not with King Arthur's goons. And what do you mean 'curfew'? It's still daytime!"

Being a free spirit, a curfew grated against every instinct Sonic had.

Ears drooping, the blacksmith replied, "It is one of the many recent policies instated by the king. With all of the regulations he is passing, it is almost as if we were under siege!"

Holding Caliburn's edge up to the light, he handed the sword back to Sonic, "Finished!"

"How do ya feel Caliburn?" Sonic asked.

Caliburn smiled, "Quite well, actually, that sharpening was quite the pick-me-up. I applaud your skill good blacksmith.

The blacksmith gave a flattered blush, never having been complimented by a sword before, "Heh, thanks. Now Sir Sonic, I notice that you don't wear any armor, which I find very unusual for one who carries a sword so…"

Sonic shook his head, "Nuh uh, no way. Armor would just slow me down and make me sweaty, so no thanks."

The blacksmith looked horrified, "But I insist that you wear at least _some_ form of armor! It would be only a matter of time before you would suffer a serious injury that could have been avoided by the proper protection. I notice you have already been wounded due to the lack of a helmet."

Sonic brought his hand to his face and fingered the red scar that Deathcalibur inflicted.

"…Okay, point taken. What've you got?"

"Well, I imagine that you want as little armor as possible—"

"You imagine right."

"—so I would recommend this." He reached up and grabbed one of the displays from the wall.

"This" was a thick right-handed steel gauntlet. It was segmented in many places to allow for as much hand and wrist movement as possible. A bronze loop around the wrist housed a large red ruby.

Sonic put it on, wiggling his fingers and clenching his fist. It made his hand look almost twice as large as before.

"I would also recommend a helmet, but seeing as wearing one may hinder your particular method of attack, this should be sufficient for your needs," the blacksmith added.

Sonic whistled, "Wow, not bad! What do I owe ya?"

The blacksmith waved his hand, "Don't worry about it. Consider it thanks for saving me."

Sonic grinned and gave a (now gauntleted) thumbs-up, "No problem! Well I've got going, see ya!"

The blacksmith returned the thumbs-up, "Come visit anytime!"

**Fun Author's Note:** Something just seems…odd about this chapter. It could be the jokes that I tried to put in, or that the dialogue just doesn't flow very well.. Any thoughts?

Short but important reference to Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic knows all about his friends' uncanny resemblance to historically important figures of yore.

Sonic has also finally acquired his super awesome gauntlet!

Fun facts:

I'm sure that Sonic fans with broad horizons caught the reference to the cartoons. It's one of my favorite lines!

"Windblade" is the name of a title in SatBK that you get for defeating many enemies very quickly.


	6. A Public Face

Sir Gawain, Knight of the Round Table and the Knight of the Sun, thoroughly disliked the Deep Woods. It was humid, dark, smelled of rotting wood, and the marshy earth beneath him seeped into his boots. To make matters worse it was raining, making the forest leaves constantly drip water onto his nose.

_But it will take more than unsavory weather to deter a royal knight! _

He certainly wouldn't grin, but he would bear it.

Wallowing in his negative thoughts, Gawain chopped through the obscuring flora with his ax-like twin swords, patrolling the forest for bandits that tended to hide out in backwoods like this. He was also looking for one outlaw in particular, one whom he had seen before. It was the blue hedgehog he had seen that had allowed the traitorous Royal Wizard to escape.

_The nerve of the scoundrel! Not only consorting with a criminal, but aligning himself with one as well!_

He sliced through the next clump of brush with a bit more gusto.

_If either of them dares to show their faces, I will make sure they pay for their treachery!_

* * *

Sonic was kicking back and relaxing, enjoying the atypical experience of _not_ traveling by foot. He had seen a horse-drawn wagon traveling in the direction of the Deep Woods and decided to hitch a ride along with the cargo. The hay he was laying on was itchy on his back at first, but after a little time moistening in the rain it was tame enough to be a comfortable mattress. The muddy track that Sonic had been so glad to avoid during his run to Camelot now sloshed hypnotically under the horse's hooves and the cart's wheels. The rainclouds blanketed the entirety of the visible sky, vitalizing the countryside in a refreshing shower.

Sonic was about to give in to temptation and fall asleep when a yell from the wagon driver and a bellow from Caliburn jolted him to attentiveness.

"On your guard you dolt! LOOK OUT!"

"Wha—?"

A black and blue suit of armor with four legs and _very_ large front claws poised at his throat encompassed his vision.

"_Whoa!_" he gave a panicked uppercut slash at the monster, ripping it into purple smoke.

Now fully awake, he saw that the wagon was being chased by many of the quadrupedal Underworld creatures.

Sonic struggled to get a firm stance on the wet hay, "Caliburn, what the heck are these things?"

"Crawler-Ones, hunting dogs of the Underworld army! Avoid their claws!"

"I already figured that part out, thanks."

The driver was doing his best to keep the whinnying horse steady while Sonic was slashing at the Crawler-Ones leaping at him and trying to cut his throat with their knife-like appendages. By the time they had reached the outskirts of the Deep Woods, the Crawler-Ones had learned that trying to attack the spiky blue thing was suicide, so they tried a new tactic. Surrounding the wagon, they started attacking the cart itself. Sonic did his best to attack them, but with the jolting of the nervous horse he couldn't prevent them from hitting the cart.

When one of the wheels was struck, Caliburn spoke up, "This wagon isn't going to survive this battle. What matters is that we lead the Crawler-Ones away from the driver. Go into the forest!"

Sonic didn't waste another moment. He jumped from the cart just as a large section was cut from it and hay started spilling out. He deliberately waited for the Crawler-Ones to spot him and then ran into the woods, allowing them to be on his heels. When he was satisfied that the civilian was far enough away, he sped up and lost sight of the Underworld bloodhounds in the mass of trees.

"I think we lost'em," Sonic said, "Think that other guy's okay?"

"Yes, I heard him escape on his horse when the wagon fell apart," Caliburn replied.

Now that they were deep in the forest, the rainfall seemed to cease as the large, leafy boughs of the trees heavily obscured the sky. It might not have been raining at all except for the ground underneath that squelched and gave with every step.

"Hey," Sonic said after noticing that he was running along a pathless route, "Are we going the right way? I mean there's no road signs pointing to the Lake Lady are there?"

"_Lady_ of the _Lake_," Caliburn corrected, "And don't worry, her home isn't difficult to find. She resides in a remote grotto near the forest lake. Reach the lake and finding the grotto will be an easy effort."

Two Soldier-Ones shot up out of the ground and immediately made to swing their weapons. Sonic held Caliburn outward to block.

"_Ooof!"_ Sonic was thrown to the side as the force of the wallop reverberated across Caliburn's hilt.

_Uhhg…that hurt a lot more than it should've._

As he jumped back into a ready position, he saw why. These Soldier-Ones were different than the ones he had encountered in Camelot, the most obvious features being their green armor and large battle axs.

"Lemme guess. Ax-Ones?" Sonic inquired as he ducked a swing and uppercut-slashed the hapless attacker.

"Yes, and I believe it would be wiser to _evade_ their weapons instead of parrying them."

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah."

Baiting the remaining Ax-One, he stayed in place long enough for it to make a heaving downward swing. Sonic dodged it with hardly any effort and the ax lodged into the ground.

"Hah! It's like they're movin' in slow motion." Sonic laughed. The Ax-One was subsequently destroyed while in a futile struggle to pull up its weapon.

"You try wielding a battle ax and see how you fare." Caliburn remarked.

The hedgehog stopped moving and brought his sword to eye-level, baring his teeth, "Okay look, why do you always hafta do that?"

Caliburn raised a quillion, "Correct you?"

"Knock me down every time I say or do ANYTHING. It's really annoying and I'm getting pretty sick of it!"

"I am _trying_ (without much success, I might add) to instill the values of a proper knight in you so the people will see you as the savior that you need to be! In this instance, you did not even consider the other point of view, even if it was just a demon from the Underworld. Do you see the ignobility of your actions? You need the people's support and respect in order to take back the kingdom in the name of righteous good. Otherwise, you are a mere vigilante, a renegade warrior slaying a king, one who throws the kingdom into even more chaos!"

Sonic stood with his jaw rigid, returning Caliburn's firm glare. He parted his lips as to say something, but apparently changed his mind, for he turned and started running again.

* * *

There was definitely a path now; the grass was thin and matted and the ground was pressed firm by wagon wheels and footsteps. Insects were fewer and forest critters no longer danced about the trees. It was strange really, to see evidence of civilization in an untamed, virgin forest. At least it was to Sonic, who was getting used to the general absence of people in this world.

"Hey uh, Caliburn. Any chance that anyone lives around here?"

"Mm? Oh, yes. Yes Sonic. There is a small community within the confines of the Deep Woods that should be close by. I have—yes, I believe it would be best to seek the village. It is absolutely vital that a knight develop a bond with his citizens, and you have yet to even meet one. Now, this will be your first real encounter with the general populace, so as such it will also provide your first impressions. Remember, you are a knight in training. Be polite, dignified (or at least as dignified as you can muster), and respectful. A knight is the servant of the people who need him."

Sonic slowed his speed down to a light jog, entering through the village gate.

_Dignified. Okay, I can do dignified…I think. Aw, whatever. It'd be easier if I had Caliburn's accent, though._

Passing by the goat corrals, panicked cries of fear suddenly pierced through the thick forest air.

"Someone's in trouble! That first impression thing's gonna hafta wait Caliburn, we gotta move!"

Sonic blasted to the center of the town, looking for the source of the cry. Some Soldier-Ones brandishing daggers pinned some villagers to the side of a house, several people around pleading them to stop.

"An interloper is depleting our ranks," the Underworld knights said in unison, "the king has ordered you for military service."

In perfect tandem, the knights thrust their weapons directly into the poor villagers' hearts. Strangely enough, no blood escaped from their injuries. In fact, a purple mist emanating from the daggers seemed to be seeping _in._

Caliburn's eyes widened in horror, "Sonic, stop them _now!_"

"Don't need to tell me twice!"

Sonic sprinted forward only for a wall of Soldier-Ones holding wooden shields to spring up from the ground and knock him back. Not bothering with them, he simply jumped over them and spun into a Windblade, fizzling the dagger-wielding Soldier-Ones into dust. The villagers were released from the monsters' grips and fell to the ground, the purple mist dissipating from their bodies. Except for one.

Violet armor solidified around his body, a dagger materializing in his hand. The former villager stood up, a new single eye glaring piercingly at the other citizens.

"Sonic, these civilians are in danger! Dispatch these Underworld knight immediately!"

"But what about—"

"He will revert to normal when he is struck down, now hurry!"

Gritting his teeth, the hedgehog Homing-Attacked the Soldier-Ones with shields, bowling them over and leaving them vulnerable to the quick slashes that followed. Focusing his attention on the transformed villager, he waited for him to jab with his dagger then used his longer-reaching blade to run him through from a safer distance. A small plume of purple smoke rose just like any other defeated knight of the Underworld, but this time a limp figure rested in its place.

Sonic stepped forward, "Is he...?"

"My power has exorcised the power of the Underworld from him, he is quite alright, but now he needs time to recover."

"Jack!"

One of the villagers rushed forward, dropping down to the unconscious man's side, "How is my husband? Will he be alright?"

Sonic was silent for a moment before realizing she was talking to him, "Huh? Oh uh, yeah, he'll be fine. Just needs some rest. Is everyone else okay?"

The other villagers emerged from their hiding places and gathered around their new protector. Said protector felt awkward with all of their eyes on him.

"Uh...could I get a couple people to help Jack get home? Dude just got possessed, needs to sleep it off."

Two immediately stepped forward and hoisted the comatose Jack up, following his wife to their home.

One of the bolder villagers spoke up, "You're our hero!"

Agreeing mumbles rose from the crowd which led to excited chatter and eventually climaxed into a grand cheer.

Sonic grinned widely, "Thank you, thank you. Name's Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog. I'm the newest knight around here, and I'm here to stop King Arthur's reign of evil."

A new cheer erupted from the crowd, "All hail Sir Sonic! All hail Sir Sonic!"

With a nod and a two finger salute, he dashed away, leaving a lasting first impression in his wake.

* * *

**Fun Author's Note:** Back to this story, I'm just pinballing with which stories I'm working on, aren't I? Oh well, balance I suppose.

We've made it to the Deep Woods, home to innocent villagers, the Lady of the Lake and...Gawain? Wait a minute, it was Lancelot that fought Sonic in the Deep Woods in the game, something's wrong! There's a glitch in the matrix! Well no, the matrix is just fine (ignore your cat) I just took some artist's liberty with the story here. Why would I do that? To be honest, I can't remember the original reason why (I haven't worked on this story in like six months) so now I'm just doing it for fun. Bwahaha!

Sonic learns a bit more about being a chivalrous soldier of the people, with some heated words between him and Caliburn of course. Love the banter between the two, I really do.


End file.
